This invention relates to a method of immobilizing an eyelid of an injured eye by means of an eyelid splint. More particularly, it relates to a thick, resilient, foam pad which may be mounted on a head-encircling device for compressing the eyelid, thereby rendering it immobile.
Physicians frequently encounter situations in which a patient's eyelid requires immobilization. Typical examples in which the eyelid must be maintained in a fixed, closed position to permit healing include corneal abrasions, corneal ulcers, corneal burns, keratitis (corneal inflammation) resulting from chemical insults, ultraviolet light, or drying (keratitis sicca), or following corneal surgery, e.g., pteryguim removal, repair of corneal lacerations, or for certain post-operative complications following corneal or cataract surgery. Eyelid immobilization is also helpful to prevent injuries to the cornea from drying when a patient is unable to close the eyelid due to neurologic deficiencies caused by e.g., Bell's palsy, stroke, head injury, or coma.
At present, eyelid immobilization is effected by taping a cotton pad over the closed eyelid, with the tape extending across the patient's face. Various thicknesses of cotton and amounts of tape are used depending on the underlying condition. Frequently, tincture of benzoin, a flammable adhesive solution, is used to augment the adhesiveness of the tape. The principle of eyelid immobilization in the event of eye injury or disease is similar to the purpose of casting or splinting broken bones. By rendering the bones immobile, they are given time to heal. By rendering an eyelid immobile, the cornea is permitted to heal, and the risk of additional injury during the healing period is minimized.
The current invention comprises an eyelid splint which is mounted on the head of the patient by a pair of head-encircling straps. The straps are elastic, and their length is adjustable, in order to adjust the pressure of the splint against the eyelid. The pad is fabricated from a thick, resilient foam which, upon compression, assumes the shape of the eye socket, thereby preventing the lid from moving. Pressure is adjustable through the adjustment of the straps, optimally to a level of not less than 23 mm Hg and not more than 40 mm Hg. The appliance of the invention has proven significantly superior to prior art methods of eyelid immobilization for a number of reasons. Firstly, the current taped-pad state-of-the-art for splinting eyelids is quite uncomfortable. Patients often complain of more pain after splinting than before, because a large amount of tape must be stretched tightly across facial skin to immobilize the lid. Frequently, tincture of benzoin must be used to ensure adhesion for the necessary 12 to 24 hours of required immobilization. The tape is uncomfortable, pulling on facial skin. Because of the discomfort inflicted by the patch, patients may require narcotics in order to sleep, and frequently will remove the patches on their own prior to the actual healing of the eye, leading to delayed healing and perhaps other complications such as corneal infection and ulceration. The eyelid splint of the invention, however, is quite comfortable since it immobilizes the eyelid by gentle compression which is adjustable by the wearer. The invention works without the use of tape or flammable adhesives. The use of cotton pads and tape permits no capability of adjustment of corneal pressure by either the physician or the patient. With the present invention, the pressure can be initially set to be effective and comfortable; if the splint later becomes uncomfortable, the patient can reliably adjust it himself in the same manner, and reapply it. Because application of the splint is very simple, adult patients can be trusted to apply it themselves, whereas the current taped pads cannot be removed and reapplied by the patient.
Furthermore, the removability of the eyelid splint of the invention by the patient permits the patient to remove the patch intermittently if instructed by his physician for brief periods of physical and psychological relaxation, bathing, or to dry the face of rain or perspiration. In addition, it permits temporary use of the eye by the patient when absolutely necessary, for example, to drive a vehicle or for brief periods of essential work. In addition, it permits easy removal for application of medicine by the patient on a predetermined dosage schedule. If desired, the splint can be removed and reapplied without detaching the straps (i.e., simply stretching the straps and removing them over the top of the head), thereby ensuring that the original prescribed pressure on the eyelid will remain the same. This is very important in situations in which the splint must be removed by the patient, e.g., to drive home. After the pressure adjustment on the splint has been made by the physician, the device can be removed for a short period to assure a safe trip, and can easily be reapplied at the same pressure setting upon the patient's arrival at his destination.
The eyelid splint of the invention also has substantial advantage over the use of pads and tape in that it is much easier to apply, requiring less training of office and hospital staff, and can be applied in about one-fifth the time required to mount the pads and tape in place. Furthermore, pads cannot be successfully reapplied after removal. Indeed, taped pads often fall off due to improper applications or loss of adhesive due to perspiration.
It has been found that the use of the eyelid splint of the invention also causes substantially less patient anxiety during the wearing of the device, not only because the device is significantly more comfortable than prior art devices, but also because it can be removed for brief reprieves, thus rendering the device less confining both physically and emotionally.
A number of different head-encircling eye patches are known in the prior art. Examples of eye shields which are designed to cover the eye without contacting the eyelid or eyeball are Wylie, U.S. Pat. No. 591,244, Lush, U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,321, and Werner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,223. Various other types of eye bandages which may contain medicine-impregnated pads include Burdick, U.S. Pat. No. 915,738, Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,642,661, Pedersen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,725, and Veysey, U.S. Pat. No. 2,024,491. A more complex eye shield which comprises an outer circular frame mounted over a transparent plastic bag filled with fluid to protect and moisten the eye is disclosed in Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,370. None of the aforesaid devices have for their specific purpose immobilization of the eyelid, nor does their design provide for eyelid immobilization.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an eyelid splint for immobilizing a patient's eyelid which is comfortable to wear and which has an adjustable pressure to provide maximum comfort and therapeutic efficacy for the patient. It is another object of the invention to provide an eyelid splint which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, and which is easy to temporarily remove and replace as necessary. These and other objects are achieved by the device of the information, a specific embodiment of which is described herein.